AZ Canal Carp: Tips from an Expert (feat. Kris Bare)
Kris Bare has spent years immersed in fly fishing- on the water, at the vise, and behind the counter of his shop Pheasant Tail Fly Fishing. That combination gives him a unique perspective- he’s not only dialed in his own approach, but he’s helped countless anglers troubleshoot theirs. When it comes to Arizona canal carp, that experience shows. He’s spent years targeting the picky canal carp strewn about the city of Phoenix and all over Arizona. He’s become the go-to guy for anyone curious about these notoriously tough fish.
In this Q&A, Kris shares expert tips specifically for targeting carp in Arizona’s canal systems. We get into the details that matter- how to approach these spooky fish, what flies consistently get eaten, and how to adjust when things aren’t working. It’s the kind of practical, no-nonsense insight that comes from time spent solving the same problems over and over again.
Wooly Buggin’ asked Kris a handful of questions about how to catch more AZ canal carp- check out this post for some practical, insightful advice.
Also, check out our AZ Canal Carp: A Beginner’s Guide
Follow Kris on Instagram @thereelbeartrap
Check out Pheasant Tail Fly Fishing
How did you first get into fishing the AZ canals?
The one big reason I started fishing the canals was because it was close. It allowed me to fish more often with less travel time. I knew there were big fish in there and I love me a big fish.
What makes canal carp different from carp in lakes or rivers?
Most of our canals here in Arizona are very grass carp heavy. The moving water makes them make decisions faster and gives them less time to pick apart your fly. Our rivers here in Arizona don’t have grass carp. The common carp in our canals and rivers are super picky compared to their pond/lake dwelling counterparts.
If you had one hour to fish a new canal, how would you approach it?
9ft 6wt 14ft 3x leader. I’d just be prepared to cover as much water in that hour as possible with a weightless chartreuse mop. If I start seeing a lot of Commons on the bottom I will switch to a heavy version of that same fly.
What should anglers look for when trying to locate fish in the canals?
The short answer is fish lol. Good places to pay attention to are any changes in flow. Above or below gates and spillovers, big bends, and other things like that. But the biggest piece of advice I give people in the shop is see as much of the canal as you physically can.
What are your go-to flies?
I fish a chartreuse mop variant in 6 different weights for all the canal carp.
What’s your typical gear for canal carp? Rod, line, leader and tippet setup?
If I could only have one rod it would be a “saltwater tapered” 9ft 6wt (my go to is Hardy Marksman Z).
My go to leader is the SA Absolute Trout Presentation leader in a 14ft 3x. The reason I like this leader is the long butt section gives me a ton of control even with very long casts and the long tippet section gives me stealth for spooky fish.
For tippet any 3x Fluorocarbon works for me. But the biggest thing about carp fishing is the accessibility part. Fish the rod you have and any 9ft 3x leader can get the job done. I can’t stress the “just get out and fish what you got” part enough.
What’s the biggest mistake you see anglers make when targeting canal carp?
Spending too much time with one fish or one group of fish. Move, move, move.
What separates a good canal carp angler from a great one?
Practice/time on the water. Ok casting will catch fish, good casting will catch more, great casting will catch the most.
Keep it simple—what’s your no-BS approach to consistently catching canal carp?
Honestly it’s just get out there and see a bunch of water as often as you can. Make a ton of mistakes and it will teach you how to recognize certain body language patterns in those fish. Taking a casting lesson with a good instructor helps a ton no matter what your current skill level is unless your last name is Rajeff.
Don’t let the hard days stop you. It will only make you better
